It is easy to
see why F is for Fake is often called
an “essay film,” because of how it transitions from one narrative of forgery to
the next, each time connecting them with common threads. But it is also far
more than that; a documentary with filmed sequences and original stories mixed
in. It is an unpredictable viewing experience, which is what one would expect
from the mind of Orson Welles, who becomes a link on the narrative chain along
the way.

In the wake of
David Fincher’s critical and box-office success about a missing person’s case,
a classic in the genre from 1988 has been released on Blu-ray through The
Criterion Collection. Also based on a screenplay adapted from a novel by the
author himself, The Vanishing was
successful enough to warrant an American remake starring Jeff Bridges and
Kiefer Sutherland five years after this French/Dutch version. In reality,
however, this is a narrative which has been around for much longer, whether
considering Alfred Hitchcock’s classic, The Lady Vanishes, or a classic
Parisian Urban Legend from 1901. What makes director George Sluizer’s film
memorable is his uncompromising and unforgettable ending.

Originality is
something hard to come by in period martial arts movies, mostly because there
have simply been so many of them. With the historical events of the Korean
Joseon Dynasty, which resulted in a major division between peasants and the
wealthily oppressive royalty, Kundun has the perfect scenario for a Robin Hood
type narrative. Unoriginal as it may be, this is cinematically a perfect match,
providing plenty of action and a reason to root for the vengeance of the good
guys.

The producers of
Sex Tape must have been among the few
in Hollywood to
find good fortune in the controversial leaking of hacked celebrity photos and
videos. Without this incident, commonly referred to as ‘The Fappening’ by
online communities, the film Sex Tape
would have had absolutely no relevance. Unfortunately, people will remember the
celebrity scandal long after they have forgotten this ridiculously mediocre
film ever existed.